This interview features Jihoon, the Chief Sales Officer who oversees various business development areas, including the global expansion of a brand acquired by Boosters. Jihoon, who is striving for 'global fan creation' at Boosters, considers 'sincerity' as the key value. Here, we provide insights from his interview.
Q. Could you introduce yourself, Jihoon?
I'm Jihoon Ko, responsible for business development at Boosters. I mainly work on setting up initial business functions and various corporation-related projects. After establishing the foundation, I pass it onto respective specialists. I joined Boosters on October 1, 2021, during the corporation merger.
Q. Can you tell us more about the merger?
I initially launched a brand aggregator business called Esperz with Mr. Yoonho Choi, who is now the representative of Boosters. Around the time of finalizing seed investment, Boosters was expanding into the brand aggregator business from influencer commerce, so we merged our teams in October 2021.
Q. What's your main responsibility now?
I'm primarily focusing on the global expansion of our acquired brands. Most of these brands are domestic, with no opportunities for overseas expansion. While their products could succeed overseas, they lacked resources. Our team is now handling the market adaptation process for global expansion and setting up related matters.
Q. Do all acquired brands go global?
We aim for global market expansion for all brands. However, not all brands are suitable for every market, so we consider multiple factors like local consumer needs, growth potential, and competition intensity. If appropriate, we quickly enter the market and work on increasing awareness.
Q. Which markets are you focusing on and planning to expand into?
Some brands are expanding or have already expanded into the US, Japan, and Taiwan. We're currently focusing on these markets and planning to extend to Europe, starting with nearby Asian countries.
Q. What value do you prioritize in your work?
Diligence. I believe most people, including the Boosters team, are better than me. So, I devote myself to all work and fill in the gaps based on this attitude. I once heard that 'luck' and 'perseverance' are key virtues, which left a deep impression on me.
Q. What do you like most about Boosters' culture?
I appreciate the openness to various SaaS uses for work efficiency. We're always thinking about how to work smarter, reducing unnecessary procedures and tasks by introducing useful SaaS. This willingness to improve and openness to change is unique to Boosters.
Q. What's your ultimate goal at Boosters?
I aim for Boosters to be so prominent that just being a member replaces a business card. I'm hoping for organic energy among members and significant achievements. A more immediate goal is to gift Boosters with the 'Top of Ten Million Dollar Exports' by 2023.
Q. Any message for future Boosters crew members?
I hope we can be an organization that creates outstanding results joyfully and for a long duration. We appreciate your help.